1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to traffic safety instruction. Traffic safety instruction is typically given by traffic schools to drivers who have committed a traffic offense.
2. Description of Related Art
Drivers who are cited for traffic violations usually have an option to attend traffic school to keep “points” or demerits off their driving record. Drivers have an incentive to attend traffic school because points adversely impact insurance premiums. In the extreme drivers with too many points may have their license suspended.
Each state in the U.S. administers its own traffic school program. Traffic schools that wish to operate in a given state must obtain a license from that state. In most cases the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is the state agency assigned to administer traffic school programs. States mandate the topics that must be included in a traffic school's curriculum. The curriculum covers principles of safe driving, driver responsibility, and licensing regulations. For example, the California Department of Motor Vehicles 10 mandates the sixteen topics 12 listed in Table 1 and as shown in FIG. 1. Traffic schools have latitude on how the material is presented. Some, for example, choose a comedic format to make the material more engaging. However, schools do not have latitude in what topics are presented. States also mandate the length of time drivers 14 must spend in traffic school. In California, for example, eight hours are required.
TABLE 1California Traffic School TopicsCommon Sense of DrivingCity DrivingSafety EquipmentFreeway DrivingDefensive DrivingDriving on the Open HighwayEstablished Speed LawsHazardous ConditionsProper Lane UseAlcohol and Other DrugsBacking Up SafelyDriver ResponsibilityIntersectionsTraffic Signs and SignalsPassingLicensing Measures
All traffic schools deliver the same topics to all drivers. A driver with a speeding citation is presented the same topics as one with a citation for reckless driving. A senior driver is presented the same topics as a teenager. Therefore, drivers are compelled to sit through topics that are often irrelevant to their personal situation and attention span can quickly wane, especially given the large number of topics mandated by the States.
A primary goal of traffic schools is to improve knowledge and attitudes toward traffic safety among drivers. However, two studies indicate that traffic school attendance produces relatively small improvements in knowledge and no measurable improvement in driving attitudes. One study was conducted by the Automobile Club of Southern California (ACSC), and the other by the California DMV recently completed studies examining the effects of traffic schools.
Taken together, the two studies support the following conclusions:                Exposure to traffic school had only a small effect in improving the knowledge level of attendees. Although the gain in knowledge was statistically significant, the gain was small-ranging from 5% to 8% across both studies. The level of knowledge retention 6-12 months after class is even smaller.        Driving attitudes are unchanged both at the time of traffic school and 6-12 months later.        Knowledge change and attitude change were not significantly related to method of instruction, type of provider, or use of an inducement to attract enrollees.        There was no significant relationship between knowledge gain and subsequent accident involvement, or between attitude change and driver record entries.        Knowledge gain was associated with fewer subsequent traffic citations; however, the magnitude of the relationship was small.        